Comparison between Plate-Fin Heat Exchangers and Coil-Wound Heat Exchangers
| | Plate-Fin Heat-Exchangers | Coil-Wound Heat-Exchangers |
| Characteristics | – Extremely compact
– Multiple streams
– Single and two-phase
streams | – Compact
– Multiple streams
– Single and two-phase
streams |
| Fluid | – To be very clean | – To be clean |
| Flow-types | – Counter-flow
– Cross-flow | – Cross counter-flow |
| Heating-surface | – 300 - 1400 m²/m³ | – 20 - 300 m²/m³ |
| Materials | – Aluminium | – Aluminium
– Stainless steel (SS)
– Carbon steel (CS)
– Special alloys |
| Temperatures | – -269°C to +65 °C
(150 °F) | – All |
| Pressure | – Up to 115 bar (1660 psi) | – Up to 250 bar (3625 psi) |
| Applications | – Cryogenic plants
– Non-corrosive fluids
– Very limited installation space | – Also for corrosive fluids
– Also for thermal shocks
– Also for higher temperatures |
